The new year is definitely an exciting time, filled with the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings. It’s also a chance to recommit to your health and well-being: Eat better. Drink more water. Exercise three times each week. Making New Year’s Resolutions helps with that.
Creating these resolutions is simple enough. However, sticking with them beyond the month of January is another story.
Whether the new year has you feeling totally a tad overwhelmed or inspired, we have some advice to help you make and keep your healthy resolutions for 2018.
1. Practice mindful eating
These days, it’s common to chow down with your eyes glued to a screen, but eating when you’re distracted causes overeating. Remember to slow down and focus on your food, pausing to put down utensils between bites. “When you eat mindfully, it’s easier to notice when you feel full, plus you’re more likely to enjoy the foods you eat,” says Johns Hopkins dietitian and research nutritionist Diane Vizthum.
2. Adopt an attitude of gratitude
Take the time at the start or end of the day to think about what you’re grateful for. A regular grateful check-in or keeping a grateful journal is ways to change your concentration and reduce the distorting impact of stress. Reminding ourselves of the little, everyday positive aspects in our lives helps to create a sense of balance and point of view that can boost well-being.
3. Relax and rest up
According to experts, basically it’s time to chill when it’s time to rest. Knocking the thermostat down to 68 degrees or lower before you tuck into bed will help you rest better. Darken your room by drawing the curtains or dimming the screen on your alarm clock to essentially get those quality Zs.
4. Take the stairs
Making small, daily changes such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator may seem minor, however they can make a major difference for your heart in the long run. People who are physically active are much less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
5. Find 30 minutes each day to walk
Getting the recommended 30 minutes of exercise daily can be as simple as taking a walk. Take three 10-minute walks during your day if you’ve got a busy schedule. That’s 10 minutes each before work, lunch and after work. Make it fun! Get somebody at the office to get you through your lunch routine. Then have a relative or friend meet you for an evening stroll.
6. Commit to a 30-day fitness challenge
Select a fitness activity that’s easy and doesn’t require equipment, and commit to it for 30 days. You will find many choices to challenge yourself: doing yoga, taking regular walks or joining an exercise class. Find what motivates you. Whatever you are doing, make yourself responsible or find an accountability partner. Whether your goal is to lower cholesterol, lose weight, or have more energy to play with children, you have the power to make a change.
As always, talk to your doctor before you begin your quest to a healthier you.
